Comet

A chunk of ice and rock that orbits a star. In our solar system, the majority of comets orbit well beyond Pluto, in regions known as the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud. Most comets are no more than a few miles in diameter. Upon close encounters with the Sun, comet ices vaporize, creating a coma, or cloud, around the comet, and a long tail that always points away from the Sun.

Resources

Remnants from the Beginning Whenever you build a new house, you always have...
Craters and Extinctions
Comets With the possible exception of Saturn's rings,...

Featured Images

Hubble Space Telescope image of Comet ISON, April 2013
 Closing In Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Comet C/2011 L4 Panstarrs in the western evening sky in March
 Sneaky Comet Sunday, March 10, 2013
Comet McNaught, 2007
 Bright Interlopers Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Orionid Meteor Shower
 Orionid Meteors Saturday, October 20, 2012
False-color view of Comet Swift-Tuttle, 1992
 Swift Comet Monday, July 16, 2012
View of Comet Lovejoy from the International Space Station
 Christmas Comet Friday, December 23, 2011
A comet plunges toward the Sun
 Survivor: Comet Friday, December 16, 2011

Radio Programs

Comet PanStarrs A comet gets ready to shine Monday, March 4, 2013
Bright Interlopers Disorderly visitors head inward Thursday, January 3, 2013
Comets Icy remnants from the birth of the planets Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Orionid Meteors A trail of lights from a messy comet Saturday, October 20, 2012
Comet Swift-Tuttle A famous comet changes its image Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Tuttle Comets War, embezzlement, and comets Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Swift Comets From hardware-store owner to cosmic celebrity Monday, July 16, 2012
Comet Exchange Stars exchange frozen leftovers Friday, June 15, 2012
Watery Earth Raining on the young planet Earth Monday, January 9, 2012
Jean-Louis Pons The champion of all comet hunters Friday, December 23, 2011
Leonid Meteors A faint but steady meteor shower Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Great Comet of 1811, II War, peace, and fine wines Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Great Comet of 1811 A great show by a “dirty snowball” Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Orionid Meteor Shower Calling cards of a distant comet Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Comet Elenin A close encounter with comet dust Friday, October 14, 2011

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